At PlayerData, we recognise the importance of elevating your performance to the next level. That's why we've recently launched PlayerData Connect, a device that enables real-time connectivity to your units, allowing you to access data instantly during both match and training sessions. In this month's blog, we will explore the applications of PlayerData Connect and emphasise the benefits it offers to both coaches and athletes.

"From a data point of view, being able to monitor and track things from a live perspective is important. Just so we can kind of see what's happening as we go, to act as a series of checks and balances. I think it's important to be able to look at it to say, alright, is this session going the direction we want? Do we need to make some adjustments? So taking the data and making it actionable is very important for us."

Josh McAllister, Assistant coach - Spokane Velocity

How to use PlayerData Connect

To get started you will require at least one PlayerData Connect gateway. Prior to your training or match session, you will need to create a Connected session. These sessions require the same information as our “normal” sessions, the only difference is that they will need to be created ahead of time.

• Create the Session. 
• Assign your gateway to the session (name found next to the QR code on the gateway). 
• Ensure all the units have been assigned to the relevant athletes. 
• Set up the Connect gateway at the side of the pitch, aligned with the midway point.some text
  • Black side facing towards the pitch. 
  • QR code at the bottom. 
  • Use the tripod for the best set up. 
• Turn on the PlayerData EDGE units. 
• Check the units are displaying a lightning bolt on the screen. 
• Ensure the gateway LED is “breathing’’ green. 
• You are now all good to go for your Connected session.

Once the session is live, you can monitor each athlete’s performance metrics in real-time on the overview screen. Our key performance metrics are continuously updated as the session progresses. This seamless, ongoing data flow allows coaches to make immediate, informed decisions to enhance training effectiveness, and also team performance in matches.

However, in the event of a temporary delay the data updating on your screen, there is no cause for concern. The system is engineered to automatically backfill and synchronise the data once the connection is re-established. This robust design ensures that no critical information is lost, maintaining the integrity of your performance insights throughout the session.

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Part 2: How Connect can benefit you.

Having the ability to monitor your athlete’s metrics on the go provides invaluable insights into their performance, empowering you to make crucial decisions at pivotal moments. The real-time access to data PlayerData Connect provides can significantly enhance training effectiveness and strategic planning. Below, we have highlighted how leveraging specific metrics and features can elevate your team's performance to the next level.

Top Speed

‍Within sports, hamstring injuries are among the most prevalent lower limb injuries, often resulting from sudden, powerful movements such as sprinting, lunging, or jumping. These actions can overstretch the muscle and tendon, leading to strains or tears. Monitoring and mitigating the risk of hamstring injuries is crucial for maintaining athlete performance and longevity.

One effective method to reduce the likelihood of hamstring injuries is by identifying and exposing athletes to 90% of their maximum speed. This approach helps condition the muscles to withstand the high demands of intense physical activity, thereby enhancing their resilience. When athletes regularly train at these high speeds, their muscles, particularly the hamstrings, become stronger and more proficient at handling the stresses of rapid, powerful movements. Incorporating maximum speed exposure into training sessions not only improves strength but also enhances power and endurance. This balanced development ensures that opposing muscle groups, such as the hamstrings and quadriceps, maintain optimal strength and flexibility, further reducing injury risks.

PlayerData Connect is an invaluable tool for implementing this training strategy. By enabling real-time monitoring of athletes' top speeds throughout a session, coaches can ensure that athletes reach the necessary speed thresholds during specific drills. This continuous data collection allows for precise adjustments to training programs, ensuring that athletes are consistently training at the right intensity levels. PlayerData Connect further allows coaches to closely monitor performance metrics, providing the data needed to optimise training and reduce the risk of hamstring injuries. This proactive approach not only safeguards athlete health but also maximises their performance potential, leading to stronger, faster, and more resilient athletes.‍

Top-up runs

Top-up runs, also known as maintenance runs or supplementary runs, hold significant importance in sports. They present an additional way for athletes to keep up their overall fitness levels during off-season, periods of lower training volume, or additional load when they didn’t participate in a match session. By incorporating top-up runs, athletes can sustain their running mechanics, cardiovascular fitness, and overall endurance, ensuring they remain in peak condition for future games and training sessions.

PlayerData Connect enhances the effectiveness of top-up runs by providing real-time data on athlete performance. This allows coaches to monitor how athletes are performing during their runs, ensuring that each athlete hits their individual targets. For example, if five athletes are conducting top-up runs with different targets, the coach can track each athlete's progress and withdraw them from the session as soon as they meet their specific goals. This helps prevent overexposure or underexposure to training load. By integrating real-time data monitoring with top-up runs, PlayerData Connect enables coaches to manage training loads more effectively. This ensures that athletes maintain their fitness levels efficiently, keeping them ready for the demands of high-intensity sports. ‍

Segments‍

PlayerData Connect enhances coaching efficiency by enabling the use of features like segments in real-time, rather than at the end of a session. This real-time segmentation allows coaches to break down training sessions into manageable parts, providing immediate insights into athlete load and performance. This approach not only saves time but also offers more precise monitoring and adjustments during the session.

Tracking the progression of segments in real-time allows coaches to closely follow their training plans. For instance, by monitoring the distance covered during the warm-up, coaches can decide whether to extend or reduce the length of subsequent segments. This adaptability ensures that each part of the training session is optimised for athlete performance and safety.

Moreover, PlayerData Connect supports running multiple segments concurrently, with different athletes participating in each one. This feature is particularly useful when athletes are divided into positional groups, yet the coach still needs to gauge the overall intensity of the session. By doing so, coaches can maintain a comprehensive view of the training load and allow them to make necessary adjustments to ensure balanced and effective training across all groups.

Incorporating these capabilities into training sessions can significantly enhance the precision and effectiveness of coaching strategies, leading to better athlete development and performance.

Heatmaps

Another feature PlayerData Connect capitalises on is heatmaps. These heatmaps provide immediate data on player positioning and movement patterns during a match, offering coaches valuable insights into how their team is executing strategic plans. By visualising player activity on the field, coaches can assess whether athletes are maintaining their positions, adhering to tactical instructions, and effectively exploiting spaces on the pitch.

The real-time aspect of these heatmaps is particularly beneficial for making game-changing adjustments. Coaches can identify areas where their team might be over-committing or underutilizing space, allowing them to make informed decisions on substitutions and tactical shifts. This capability can be crucial in exploiting the opposition’s weaknesses and maximising their own team’s strengths.

Heatmaps also serve as a visual aid for athletes. By showing players exactly where they need to be, coaches can enhance their understanding of positional play and tactical requirements. This visual feedback is particularly useful during halftime or when making substitutions, as it provides clear, actionable insights that players can quickly implement on the field.

Incorporating real-time heatmaps into coaching strategies with PlayerData Connect not only improves tactical execution but also enhances overall team performance. By using this technology, coaches can make precise, data-driven decisions that contribute to better in-game management.

Summary

‍Overall, PlayerData Connect offers a new dimension to player monitoring and performance enhancement. In session insights can give you as a coach the immediate information you need to take your team’s performance to the next level. This can be achieved through enhancement to load management practices such as, top speed monitoring, top-up runs and session segments. In addition, the technology can provide crucial tactical insight through analysis of heatmap readings.

References

Top Speed Section Ref

Buchheit, M., Settembre, M., Hader, K. and McHugh, D., 2023. Exposures to near-to-maximal speed running bouts during different turnarounds in elite football: association with match hamstring injuries. Biology of Sport, 40(4), pp.1057-1067.

Shah, S., Collins, K. and Macgregor, L.J., 2022. The influence of weekly sprint volume and maximal velocity exp

Top Up Runs Section Ref

Ade, J.D., Drust, B., Morgan, O.J. and Bradley, P.S., 2021. Physiological characteristics and acute fatigue associated with position-specific speed endurance soccer drills: production vs maintenance training. Science and Medicine in Football, 5(1), pp.6-17.

Sagelv EH, Selnæs I, Pedersen S, Pettersen SA, Randers MB, Welde B. Effects of linear versus changes of direction repeated sprints on intermittent high intensity running performance in high-level junior football players over an entire season: a randomized trial. Sports. 2019 Aug 6;7(8):189.

Weli, A.F. and Haso, A.J.A.R., 2023. The Effect of Rapid Endurance Training of the Production, Maintenance and Mixed Methods in Developing Explosive Strength and Speed Strength for Football Players. Central Asian Journal of Medical and Natural Science, 4(6), pp.527-534.

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